Sex and disco it’s a neverending story so yes, we’re talking about it… again. Or to use a key phrase from this week’s song: “Many times, it’s good to call a spade a spade”. Who am I to argue with that. 😃 This episode we zoom in on an Austrian/German disco phenomena called Gilla, a “sexy disco kitten” if ever there was one. Her breakout hit, “Why Don’t You Do It” from the album Help Help, leaves no room for subtlety. From the very first lines—“Would you like to ask me how I feel when you’re around? Looking like some easy pigeon that you found”—we’re well past an opener like, “Haven’t I seen you here before?”
What makes it even more amusing is the response from the male counterpart in the song: “There’s situations that one can’t evade.” It feels more like a duty than something he’s looking forward to. Somewhat unbelievable if you read the lyrics. Anyway it’s all great fun laughing with explicit disco song lyrics but it’s remarkable that such an explicit disco track became Gilla’s biggest hit in multiple European countries. This was the mid-’70s, a time when radio airplay was essential for chart success. And yet, “Why Don’t You Do It” broke through, unlike other similarly risqué tracks, such as Poussez’s “Come On And Do It”, which remained a club hit but never made it to radio. Granted, even those who don’t speak French can form some kind of image when you hear “poussez” in combination with the title. Gilla avoided the same (deadly) combination.
Gilla was discovered by German producer Frank Farian, who signed her to Hansa Records in 1974. Her early attempts—like a German cover of Marcella Bella’s Nessuno mai—failed to gain traction. But things changed when Farian had her record a German disco version of Labelle’s Lady Marmalade. While it only reached No. 24 on the German charts, it sparked media attention for its bold lyrics, “Willst du mit mir schlafen gehn?” (Do you want to sleep with me?). Then came “Tu es” (recorded in English as “Why Don’t You Do It”), which became Gilla’s biggest hit, peaking at No. 10 in Germany and marking Farian’s first major success as a producer.
From there, Farian went on to shape Eurodisco with legendary acts like Boney M and Eruption. In the ’80s, he masterminded M(S)illi Vanilli, and in the ’90s, No Mercy—all massive global successes, tracing back to Gilla’s breakthrough. Ironically, she never fully reaped the benefits. Her career faded by the late ’70s after covering U.S. rock classics, and by the time the disco era wound down, so did her mainstream relevance.
And yet, Gilla still performs today—albeit in Russia, where her music remains beloved. Which, in itself, raises all sorts of intriguing questions…
I agree, Andy. That’s often the case with Frank Farian’s productions, especially the early Boney M and Eruption tracks. Thanks for reading & reacting !
Very cool backstory and description! I’m going to pass on her vocals 🤣 but that beat is irresistible!
I agree, Andy. That’s often the case with Frank Farian’s productions, especially the early Boney M and Eruption tracks. Thanks for reading & reacting !